The twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (6th of January) and represent the length of time it took for the wise men from the East to visit the manger of Jesus after his birth.
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Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer was invented for a US firm's Christmas promotion in 1938.
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The first Christmas card was designed in 1843 by J.C. Horsley.
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The abbreviation Xmas isn't irreligious. The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.
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Carols began as an old English custom called wassailing, toasting neighbours to a long life.
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In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. In order to get rid of them, salt or an old shoe is burnt. The pungent burning stench drives off, or at least helps discourage, the Kallikantza
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Black Friday in the UK is the Friday before Christmas. Instead of shopping, many people get very drunk!
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